Frequency and clinical features of suicide attempts in elderly patients in Japan

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical features of suicide attempts in elderly patients (≥65 years) in Japan. We enrolled 546 patients who attempted suicide and were hospitalized for inpatient treatment. Characteristics were compared between the elderly and non-elderly patients. Compared with the non-elderly group, the incidence of mood disorders was significantly higher and the average length of stay in the intensive care unit and the duration of hospitalization were significantly longer in the elderly group. Elderly patients hospitalized for attempted suicide were more likely to have mood disorders than the non-elderly. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.